Rap for Sachin, roles for Prasad & Robin

For the first time in Indian cricket, the national team will have a separate fielding and bowling coaches, writes G. Krishnan.

Sachin Tendulkar and Yuvraj Singh will be issued notices under the BCCI rules, asking them for an explanation for their comments made in the media.

Tendulkar expressed his views on the World Cup and Greg Chappell to a national daily and to a TV channel earlier this week. The BCCI has a code of conduct that prevents players from talking to the media.

“We are yet to send the notice,” BCCI treasurer N. Srinivasan said. “We will ask them to give their views. The time frame is yet to be determined.”

The BCCI has also decided that no player will have exclusive contracts with the electronic or print media and that only the captain can write a column or talk to the media, but not exclusively.

The BCCI has also decided to appoint a media manager for the Indian team for a two-year term as well as an administrative manager.

Shastri gets back-up team

For the first time in Indian cricket, the national team will have a separate fielding and bowling coaches, following the examples of Australia, South Africa and England.

Former all-rounder Robin Singh has been appointed the fielding coach while ex-medium pacer Venkatesh Prasad will be the bowling coach. The two will assist Ravi Shastri, who has accepted the BCCI offer to be the manager for the tour of Bangladesh next month. The appointments are only for the month-long trip to Bangladesh. “Ravi has been good enough to say that he will accept the assignment. He said he was keen to go,” Srinivasan said.

He said that the performances of Singh and Prasad would be reviewed before they can become a fixture.

A pleased Singh told Hindustan Times from Chennai, “I have to sit down and think about the whole thing. I have dealt with a lot of the current players and am looking forward to the new post.”

A brilliant fielder in his playing days, Singh, who has coached the Under-19 team before graduating to India A, said that he has to assess the present fielding standards of the Indian team. “I have to look at the team and definitely want to take it to the top,” he said. Singh said the appointment of a fielding coach was a good move. “It will take the workload off the main coach and give everyone more responsibility,” he said.